clickmom

his feet, my feet, dog feet

Last Friday when I did the nightly bandage change for the husband's (still in critical condition) right foot I thought maybe the skin on the side looked red.  I wanted to go to the ER right away.  The husband poo pooed me and insisted he'd be fine.  So we agreed I would check it in two hours and if I determined it was getting worse then he would go to the ER on the spot. He didn't think I'd go through with it.  At 1:30 AM my alarm clock sounded and I checked his right foot.  He was fine.  I spent the next 5 hours tossing and turning in bed imagining all sorts of bad things.

This foot odyssey is going to be the death of me.

In the mean time, a couple of months ago, I found a kooky OB/GYN who ran all kinds of kooky tests on me which determined that every level of everything that can be messed up due to stress in me is messed up.  Levels of my stuff is all either too high, too low, completely depleted, or low when it should be high and high when it should be low.  Moving was harder on me than I thought it would be.  So, I've been taking boat loads of supplements for a while and and feeling much better.  Until this week.  First I noticed my hair falling out again. My sink was covered in a gross web of long brown hair.  (Damned gray ones don't fall out!)   Then yesterday I was so cold all day that I ended up sleeping with an electric blanket again.  

This foot odyssey is going to be the death of me.

Death by hair loss.

Death by cold toes.

Death by lack of sleep.

I took bear bait for a walk this morning.  I'm not sure who needed that walk more, but I suspect it was me.   She's not limping this evening!  I'm on my knees in gratitude.  My fingers are crossed that the steroid shot worked.  I just don't have the energy to focus on another foot right now.  I hope she's okay.  And if bear bait isn't okay, I hope she seems okay until the husband's crisis is over.

 

 

almost in business again

I'm hating on typepad right now.

When I try to spell check it freezes and I lose my post.

I just lost a 489 word post in which I describe how I took matters into my hands regarding the basement work space I've been relegated to since losing my northern exposure 5 window fantasy studio in stepford.  

I tried to hire a couple of contractors here in new town who tried to take me to the cleaners with ridiculous estimates on finishing off the basement workspace, which up until last week was a completely unfinished basement space.  Last week my new new town friend Ernie painted both the cement floors and cinder block walls for me.  Then while discussing my sink dilemna (cheapskate wants nice sink) Ernie suggested I puruse the online listings for used restaurant sinks.  Much to my surprise I found a dream sink which appeared to be too good to be true.  (Awedsome sink/surprisingly low price)  I even, with the encouragement of the electrician who was giving my water bug infested future workspace juice for lights and most importantly of all a special high powered outlet for my precious exposure unit, negotiated the price down 50 bucks on the already too good to be true price for a way better sink than the sink I would have bought if I was paying retail.  I agreed to pay 300 bucks for a stainless steel 3 basin sink with side platforms that was a "used (not abused)" restaurant sink.

In a more typical scenario, than the one which just transpired, I am paying twice the full retail value for anything, so this incredible bargain was especially thrilling.

Then without blinkng an eye this dude which the husband works with agreed to go get the sink and drive it back to my place and put it in the basement with his equally macho truck owning friend.  I didn't lift a finger after dialing the phone.  It was a beautiful thing!  

I jumped up and down clapping just like a Price is Right contestant.  My heart has been fluttering ever since I saw the sink for real.  This sink is TOP quality!  It will be my sink forever.

Today there was another (reasonably priced) dude down in the basement putting in some plumbing!  By the end of the week?  Walls will go in on the small bit of unfinshed wall area (maybe I will add some tiles behind the sink for a bit of style)  and a dropped ceiling (So I don't have to breathe pink insulation fibers)!  Then the electrician comes back to tie up lose ends and VOILA!  I have a workable workspace!  With a spider population!  Who needs soft natural light gently filtering in an entire wall of windows, caressing my back and lifting my spirits?  Not me!  I got a basement!  

At least in my basement I won't have to worry about peeping toms, like the creepy neighbor that watched me in stepford.  I can work down there naked!  As soon as I buy a space heater, that is.

I'm so going to be cranking out some prints in the upcoming weeks.  The thought gives me goosebumps.

 

restart!

With the warm weather here so delightfully early this spring also came the birds!  Hello birds!  I've been noticing myself instinctively scanning the side of the road in search of subject matter.  Just as I was beginning to get worried due to lack of subject matter and start to think maybe new town did not have the same kind of avain death toll as stepford does I found a birdie!  

 

 

These aren't my actual professional photos. These are quick iphone snapshots that I snapped when my camera battery died.  I have to download my real photos later.  I'm just so pleased to have been behind the camera again that I was downright giddy.  I'm shaking my head in disbelief that I spent the whole winter wrapped up in such a bad funk that I didn't lift my camera.  Next time I go so long without shooting anything I am going to slap my own face.

sweet what???

I had one of those moments with Josh tonight when I just needed another adult to be present and share in my delight.  Josh and I were reading script for the next he'll be in.  Since Josh plays three different characters, I suggested he try to make his voice sound different for each one.  Josh was reading one role and came out with a voice and manner was that was a spot on imitation of Dr. Frank N Furter from Rocky Horror Picture Show, which I just happened to catch on late night tv when I couldn't sleep one night recently.  I was so excited.  My head was going a million miles an hour.

I was imagining an auditorium full of adults hearing and recognizing the voice sitting there watching the sweet little children while their eyeballs bulged and they threw each other sideways glances.  I told Josh he found the right accent and that he needed to stay with this one.  I told Josh his interpretation was just like a mad scientist character from a movie and all the adults would really love to hear it.

But Josh couldn't find it again.  In the car driving over to the rehearsal I played Sweet Transvestite on a Youtube video for Josh.  He stopped it right after Dr. Frank N Furter threw his cape back to reveal his crazy corset outift. Josh turned to me and said "Well, my childhood had been good up to this point."

I laughed so hard tears were streaming down my face and I almost had to pull over.  Then they didn't read that part of the script today.  

could this be the end of tunnel light?

For the first time in a month Josh claims to feel better than he did yesterday.

I took Josh in to the school nurse, who appeared to be impressed with my nit picking ability.  She carefully combed through his hair and found only 2- they were on the same hair strand.  I was actually glad she did find those two because truth is, he has only been to one full day of classes since February 15th and I was starting to wonder when the representatives from the state were going to show up and start investigating me.  At least there was proof of this condition.

I do not have lice! I asked the school nurse to check me out once Josh ran off to class.  She asked me if I was itchy and I admitted that I had been itchy from the top of my scalp to my toes ever since pulling that first big honking lice bug off of my sweet innocent otherwise hygienic baby.  Wouldn't you be?

The husband got a "go back to work next week" pass from the foot doctor today.  One foot should be healed enough by then for him to use crutches and keep the other foot off the floor.  I recognize that next Monday is still 6 long days away.  It's better than hearing that he has to stay completely off his tootsies for 2 more weeks.

The infectious disease dude thought the husband's charbroiled size 15 dogs looked good enough to go off the antibiotics.  I would have kept him on the medication for a while longer, but this doc didn't live through last spring with us.  This is a new town doc, and the husband was happy not to take the pills, which reek like a steaming sewer grate, so off his medication he is!  Fingers crossed.

Speaking of the the husband's feet, we had someone take a look at the allegedly defective bathroom tile warmer and the temperature of the floor soared to 134 degrees in less than an hour.  Vindicated! We figured the heat was on for about 5 hours before the husband got burned.  I get the shivers just wondering how hot that thing was after 5 hours.  The very expensive man who did the testing promptly went down to the basement found the electrical panel and cut the juice to that bathroom.  Good to know we aren't crazy.  People look at you so funny when you tell them that your husband got 2nd degree burns on the bottom of his feet from a bathroom floor.

Bear bait, still being a limpster, finally has her appointment with the veterinary orthopedic surgeon tomorrow.  The only bad thing about it is that I am not supposed to feed her after midnight tonight and she is going to be quite upset about not getting her morning crack allowance greenie.  I'll figure it out when I wake up.  It's going to be a long morning.  There will be whining for sure.

It's 70 degrees outside.  Yes, oh yes, oh yes!  Summer can't be here fast enough for me.  

Getting pretty close to the edge

Josh has lice.

Enough already! 

That is all I am going to say about it.

you don't want to know me

Last weekend, just as the husband limped his way out of the hospital three people I am truly close to, lil sis, the editor's husband (who I call Dad) and Bob,  ended up in the ER.  Bob actually had to go back three times before his thumb, which he sliced the tip top off of, would stop bleeding for good.  My stepford pal had a masectomy on Tuesday.  She has had a rough go of it.   Today, the school nurse clalled to tell me that Josh has a very infected ingrown toenail.  I rushed him to the foot doc, thanks to the husband, I am now cozy with a really nice local foot doc.  Toe relief came fast.  Also, my aunt fell in her home and cracked her pelvis and fractured her hip.  I'm pretty sure there was more tragedy around those I love and I am blocking it out.   I can't even keep track of what day it is anymore.

I am however prepared to cry over "springing ahead" my clock this weekend.   For one thing, I have been deeriously happy not wakin gup in the pitch dark of the night the past couple of weeks, and for another thing, I could really use an extra hour this weekend, not a loss of one.

Peanut is having a birthday party for herself tomorrow.  It was a bit of a challenge for me to go, since going required me to ask people for help in taking care of the kids.  In the end I did take a deep breath and got a couple of rides for Evan and a playdate for Josh.

constant worry

1. The still very much limping bear bait has another appointment with the veterinary orthopedic surgeon for next wednesday.

2. Josh is still sick.  Coughing, stomach pains, nausea, red eye, pale, some kind of new hearing over sensitivity, and most surprising, very little appetite.  I mean, Josh is my kid, we try to eat away anything and everything.  (Might be a little jealous over that last symptom)

3. The husband.  Well, the good thing is that he is foloowing doctor's orders.  I  admit I did not have much faith in him.  He has surpassed my expectations.  He is stayng on his not burned butt.  He is keeping his french fried footsies elevated.  The left foot appears to be healing.  I called the wound care nurse to come back tomorrow to have a look at the right foot.  That right foot.  It's gonna be the end of me.  The right foot has a bigger burned area.  It's been worse since the initial blistered stage.  I don't like the look of the goop that ends up on the bandage.  Sorry if you're quesy now.

And

I wrote a carefully crafted email/letter to two people at the local audubon society in an attempt to get both an inside scoop on where the dead birds are in this area and also maybe some free publicity in an exchange for allowing them to use my images.  Tomorrow I'll follow up with a phone call.  Fingers crossed!

life is hard

I'm (kind of) alone for the first time in over two weeks.  The husband is still asleep upstairs, but Josh has returned to school. I don't feel good about that either.  After coughing for over two weeks and having a fever for 5 days of that, he is pale and wiped out looking.  I'm going to call the pediatrician and think maybe I'll drive into the city with Josh tomrrow to bring him in.  Whoops.  I forgot. The husband has a foot doctor appointment tomorrow.  Sheeets.  Maybe I'll take Josh out of school early today?  I wish the doc would just call me back.

I feel like poor Josh and his subtle yet debilitating symptoms have been pushed aside due to the husband's insanely ridiculous and in your face horrifying soles of feet burns and subsequent infection/gangrene/hospitalization.  Yes.  There was gangrene involved.  Personally, when it comes to me, I fear the C word, but when it comes to the husband the G word is the one that pierces.  Eeew.

Bear bait is still limping.  I knew she was kind of limpish being confined to the house and yard, and I crossed my fingers are prayed that she was on the mend.  I did take her for a walk, because we both really needed a walk and she was soover the top happy to be out there in the big world that she ran in circles and then spent the rest of the day hobbling around on only three of her four legs.  She is going to have to wait for her medical attention though.  Maybe I can squeeze her in towards the end of the week.  

I'm facing the fact here that I will not likely be going back to my drawing class.  What ever.  I can sign up for the next round of classes.  I really did end up liking the drawing teacher.  I didn't think the model was so interesting to look at, so not the biggest loss.

On the positive side, I did end up joining a gym. I haven't been to the gym yet, but I joined.  Sadly, it's a far cry from the delightful posh club.  But it is conveniently located.  I also found this awesome funky boxing place.  The owner took one look at me and decided I was going to be his next project.  Which is great for me, but annoying when someone takes one look at me and tells me over and over how they are goign to get of my jelly belly.  Can't we all just pretend the jelly belly isn't there?  He was already getting on my nerves with all the chatter about my belly by the third day when I walked in and he said to some new stick thin women he was showing around that he was goign to make me into a "lean machine" so I loudly told the sticks "I don't know why he keeps saying that, all I want to do is kick some ass."  He took the hint and stopped saying it.  Now he is kicking my ass.  I'm whipped and I'm loving it.